ETEVÄ is a cooperation agreement that has been concluded between Tampere University and Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) to promote the study of railway structures during the years 2017-2020. The main objective of the research cooperation is to produce the foundation for the decision makers relating to the life cycle efficiency in railway structures. The cooperation is emphasized primarily for the developing of the track structures but the effects of the cooperation also apply to road structures. The cooperation continues the long-term research cooperation on railway structures, Life Cycle Efficient Track (TERA 1 and 2 during the years 2009-2016).
Background
The ETEVÄ cooperation has four focus areas:
- Railway track superstructure
- Railway track embankment
- Foundation engineering structures and bridges
- Life-cycle efficient transport networks.
The more exact contents of the study are defined in the research plans and the study consists of several research projects according to the research focus area. The projects can consist of wide doctoral study projects, smaller individual research projects, projects in size of the masters thesis and projects of an expert help. More exact description from the research projects that are in progress and have already been finished are found in the address research.tuni.fi/terrarail-en
Goal
During the ETEVÄ cooperation, the objective is to gain direct economic advantages in the life cycle efficiency in railways and furthermore, also to facilitate the improvement of the train safety and to produce background material for the reforming of the instructions which are generally followed in the field. The objectives of the ETETÄ cooperation are to respond to the current needs which rise of the following starting points:
- The maintenance backlog and shortage of the resources;
- Versatile utilizing of the possibilities offered by the new technology;
- The lengthening of the lifespan of track structures and components;
- Utilizing of research results on level of the whole rail network;
- Utilizing of the piloting in implementing the research results quickly;
- Clarifying the regulation, instructions and norms.
ETEVÄ cooperation also produces new information that is utilized in the education of new experts.
Funding source
Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency
Contact persons
Heikki Luomala
Project manager
heikki.luomala [at] tuni.fi
+358 40 552 1490